A subcommittee of the legislative Emergency Board on Wednesday, Sept. 21, endorsed an emergency grant of $3 million to erect the warehouse building at the Treasure Valley Reload Center.
The unanimous committee vote came following the support of the request by Gov. Kate Brown’s chief fiscal officer. The Legislative Fiscal Office, which advises legislators on budget matters, had recommended the request be put off until next year since the reload facility won’t be completed until next April at the earliest.
The committee’s recommendation is scheduled to go before the full Emergency Board on Friday, Sept. 23. The board typically accepts the subcommittee recommendations.
The money, from the state’s general fund, is needed to patch a $9 million hole in the project budget.
Sen. Kate Lieber, D-Beaverton, said she supported the request after recently visiting the reload construction site in Nyssa.
She said delaying the $3 million would only add more costs to a project funded with an earlier $26 million state grant.
“I believe that it will protect our investment,” she said. “It will make the facility a usable facility and it will greatly benefit our friends in eastern Oregon.”
But the $3 million will fund construction of a foundation and erection of a steel frame. Project leaders say they need even more money to provide remaining essential features for the structure.
Voting to approve the request were Lieber, Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton; Sen. James Manning Jr., D-Eugene; Rep. Winsvey Campos, D-Aloha; and Rep. Andrea Valderrama, D-Portland.
The project is being managed by the Malheur County Development Corp., a public company created by the Malheur County Court.
Contact Editor Les Zaitz: [email protected].
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